Bitcoin (BTC) ended 2025 lower than it started the year, but behind the scenes the crypto sector made huge strides. A new report from Binance shows that the year was mainly about fundamental growth and maturation. And according to founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), that is only the beginning.
Growth despite falling prices
In 2025, the total crypto market dropped by almost eight percent. Yet Binance calls the year “a turning point”. Stablecoins grew to become the standard for payments, institutional investors joined en masse through spot ETFs and legislation such as MiCA and the GENIUS Act provided more clarity.
It is striking that despite a drop in the Bitcoin price from $126,000 to $95,300, more than $21 billion flowed into American BTC funds. Public companies now jointly hold more than 1.1 million BTC in their reserves.
According to Binance, this marks a new era: less hype, more stability. Bitcoin will have a permanent place in the portfolios of major parties, which makes price movements less erratic.
Bitcoin becomes macro instrument
Binance sees that Bitcoin is increasingly moving as a macroeconomic instrument. Although network usage decreased and the number of active addresses decreased, the hashrate actually reached a new record. This indicates greater investments in network security and infrastructure.
Investors therefore appear to use Bitcoin less as a means of payment, but more as a store of value – comparable to gold.
DeFi, stablecoins and tokenization continue
Growth was also achieved in other areas. DeFi platforms held $124 billion in value but posted record income of $16.2 billion. This points to more stable revenue models and less dependence on hype.
In addition, tokenization made its breakthrough. The value of tokenized real-world assets (RWA), such as stocks and bonds, rose to $17 billion. This meant that for the first time there was more trading in RWAs than on regular decentralized exchanges.
Stablecoins confirmed their role as the backbone of crypto. With $33 trillion in transactions and more than $300 billion market capitalization, they are here to stay.
2026: adoption and use are central
Looking ahead to 2026, Binance expects the market to grow further through broader adoption. Looser monetary policy, fiscal stimulus and greater regulatory clarity make the environment more favorable for risky assets.
The focus shifts to tools that deliver value to users. Think of wallets, marketplaces, prediction markets and AI-based applications. According to Binance, the tokenization of government bonds will also receive more attention.
Crypto is therefore growing into a mature sector in which practical applications and reliability are becoming more important than hype.
CZ sees the beginning of a supercycle
According to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Bitcoin is at the beginning of a ‘supercycle’. That is an exceptionally long growth phase that can break the traditional four-year cycle.
According to CZ, the combination of institutional inflow, decreasing regulations and increasing global adoption creates the ideal conditions for long-term growth. His message: this is just the beginning.
Source: https://newsbit.nl/binance-crypto-fundamenten-verbeterden-sterk-in-2025-ondanks-prijsdruk/
